The leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan pledged to strengthen their cooperation in curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

"The North Korean nuclear issue poses a major threat to peace and stability in the region. It is vital that the international community, including Korea, the U.S. and Japan fashion a united response."

Reaffirming that they will not engage in talks with the North unless it shows sincerity about giving up nuclear arms, the three leaders agreed that their chief envoys to the six-nation talks aimed at denuclearizing the North will meet in the near future.
President Obama stressed the trilateral cooperation has become ever more crucial in deterring North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

"Our trilateral cooperation has sent a strong signal to Pyongyang that its provocations and threats will be met with a unified response, and that a nuclear North Korea is unacceptable."

The Washington-led summit has garnered much attention, especially since it was the first between President Park and her Japanese counterpart amid strained ties between the two key Asian allies of the U.S. over historical and territorial issues.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has repeatedly expressed his wishes to meet President Park, despite tensions over his government's denial of some past wrongdoings, seemed to have prepared a lot for Tuesday's meeting.

"I am so very happy to be able to meet President Park Geun-hye."

As expected, the most contentious issues, such as Japan's denials of its colonial-era atrocities and its claims to Korea-controlled Dokdo Island, were not brought up Tuesday.

"President Park is now in Berlin to start the first leg of her four-day state visit. Here, she'll hold summit talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and seek German support for her reunification policy.
Choi You-sun, Arirang News, Berlin."